The number one question I receive as a vegan is “where do you get your protein”. To a vegan or vegetarian, this question can be quite persistent and aggravating. In reality, there are tons of foods with high doses of protein, which I am going to list in this post!

Beans

It is essential for any vegan to eat a daily helping of beans. Beans are packed with essential proteins, and are quite delicious. There are tons of different types of beans, including navy, garbanzo, kidney, black, and pinto to name a few. Black beans are my personal favorite, and are perfect for most dishes. One serving of black beans is about 15.2 grams of protein. My recommendation is to throw beans into any salad, soup, or chili. On the go, I love Whole Foods southwest vegan chili, which contains tons of beans. The chili has 7 grams of protein.

Quinoa

If didn’t know, Quinoa is a healthy grain, and is filled with nutrition. Quinoa has about 8 grams of protein per cup. Quinoa is an amazing substitute for white rice, which lacks in nutritional value. Eating a serving a quinoa, will help you stay fuller longer, and provide your body with plant based vitamins. My favorite way to utilize Quinoa is to make a southwestern salad with quinoa, beans, corn, and mexican spices.

Lentils

Lentils are yet another protein-packed legume, along with beans. Lentils are amazing in any indian dish or hearty soup. Lentils contain 12 grams of protein per serving. Fun Fact: 1.5 cups of lentils has the same amount of protein as 3 oz of chicken breast! If you like lentils, I recommend Panera’s Vegan Lentil Quinoa Soup. If your ever in a pinch, this soup is an amazing, fast meal.

Oats

Oats are another healthy grain. I usually use oats to make oatmeal, add them to my smoothies, and put them in baked goods. Steel cut oats contain 7 grams of protein per ¼ cup!

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain tons of protein. Just eating a serving of peanut butter will provide you with 7 grams of protein and healthy fats. I totally recommend topping your oatmeal, smoothies, apples, sliced bananas, and cereal with some sort of nut butter. My favorite nut butter is NuttZo crunchy peanut butter from Costco. This peanut butter is made out of 8 different nuts and seeds!